


The Dog of Dreams

by OtterlyWasted



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas, MAAS Sarah J. - Works
Genre: F/M, Post-A Court of Frost and Starlight, Prythian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-01
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2020-05-31 14:38:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19428007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OtterlyWasted/pseuds/OtterlyWasted
Summary: Feyre hears a whine coming from the alley way, and goes to investigate.This was written as a thank you to a very kind reader, who mentioned their dog in their comment.Total fluff piece, set post-ACOFAS.





	The Dog of Dreams

There it was again.

Furrowing my brow, I reached over and turned the sink faucet off, still holding the paint drenched brushes in my hand as I cocked my head to one side, listening.

It was faint, but as I turned to look towards the back door of the art studio, I could just hear it - soft little whines. Setting the brushes down in the bottom of the deep sink, I reached for a towel and wiped my hands as I walked towards the door and pushed it open, looking out into the alley. The alley looked like any other, except perhaps for the trashcans which were stuffed with art materials - empty jars of paint, falling apart paint brushes, paint stained paper and even a few broken easels.

However I didn’t see anyone or anything that might be whining, and was about to turn back inside when I heard it again. Concerned, I walked out in the cool evening air and began to look around for a sign of what it might be, when a subtle bit of movement caught my eye. There, under a bit of ripped painters tarp that was hanging off the edge of a crate. I crept closer, then dropped down into a crouch and hesitantly reached forward to lift the tarp up - _please don’t be a rat,_ I prayed fervently in the back of my mind.

I was met with brown eyes, wide with fear, and golden brown fur that was so covered in dirt it looked almost black. I froze for a second with surprise at finding a little puppy tucked back against the wall, shivering with cold, and watched as it let out a little whine.

“Oh…” I breathed softly, then lowered down to my knees. “Hello there,” I said and held out a hand towards the puppy.

The puppy didn’t budge, still watching me with uncertainty, even as I continued talking calmly, coaxingly, “It’s ok, come on, I won’t hurt you… it’s ok.”

The cool air bit into me, I hadn’t put on my jacket before coming out here, but I didn’t move an inch from my spot. Finally the puppy lowered its head and began to cautiously take a few steps towards me, stretching its neck out to sniff at the tips of my paint stained fingers. The puppy suddenly sneezed and shook it’s head, it’s long, floppy ears tossing, and I let out a soft laugh at the sight.

It was almost as though my laughter convinced the puppy of my intentions, because it let out a little yip, then bounded towards me, it’s tail wagging wildly. Reaching down I picked it up, feeling its little body wiggling in my arms as I held it up in front of me, and giggled when it began licking my face. Standing up I began to carry the puppy back towards the door of the art studio when I felt a brush down the bond.

_What has you so happy all of the sudden, darling?_

Rhys, the worlds biggest snoop.

_I found a puppy._

I responded, my mental voice tinged with the laughter I was still letting out as the puppy continued to lick my face.

At first I didn’t notice the silence as I re-entered the back of the art studio, kicking the door shut behind me, but then I frowned a little. I wasn’t sure what response I expected from him, but silence wasn’t it, and suddenly I was worried.

_Rhys? Is everything ok?_

“Of course everything is ok, why wouldn’t it be?” I heard him say from the front of the studio. Gasping with shock I whirled to look through the doorway as he strolled towards me, my heart racing with the brief panic I felt from being startled.

“You could knock,” I said a little breathlessly, and Rhysand grinned. “Feyre, I was supposed to meet you here before we went out to dinner tonight, did you forget?”

I had forgotten.

Wincing a little, I gave him half-smile, “Uh… yes. I’m sorry - the last class ran late and then-”

Coming to a stop in front of me, his gaze dropped to examine the puppy in my arms as he cut me off gently, “You found a puppy. So I see. May I?” He asked and held his hands out.

Without hesitation, I lifted the puppy into his arms - though for a moment the puppy didn’t seem too sure about my decision, and kept it’s tail tucked between it’s back legs. Rhys smiled and held it with one arm, then began to stroke his other hand down the puppy’s back soothingly, leaning his head in to whisper something softly to it.

I didn’t recognize the language, and frowned a little in confusion when I felt his thoughts brush against mine.

_It’s Illyrian. ‘Hello little brother’ is the loose translation, it’s a term of endearment to a beloved pet - though most Illyrians don’t keep pets, there are the rare exceptions._

I froze, staring at him, but the puppy seemed to pick up on Rhys’s calm affection, and soon began wagging his tail in earnest, licking his chin and making him grin.

“Rhys,” I asked quietly, “did you…” I trailed off, trying to remember if he had ever told me about owning a pet before and couldn’t recall a single story.

Glancing up at me, he understood my question and shook his head. “No, my sister, she loved animals.” He paused, and swallowed, and I could see the memories flash in his eyes and my heart ached at the pain that shone there. Even after all this time, Rhysand still had not shared all of his memories of his mother and sister with me. “She had a cat that she found as a kitten, here in Velaris,” he continued after a moment. “That cat adored her, followed her everywhere…”

Trailing off he looked back down at the puppy and lifted his free hand to swirl a touch of darkness around his fingertips, then pressed them gently against the puppy’s head. I took a step towards him as he used his power - not out of fear, I didn’t believe that he would ever hurt the puppy - but out of curiosity as to what he was doing.

Rhys’s head cocked to the side a little, as though listening to something, then he looked back at me, noting my curiosity. “I just checked to see if he had been marked as owned by someone, and checked his memories as well.” Rhys saw my surprise and smiled, “It’s a bit more difficult to read the mind of animals but it can be done.” Lifting the puppy he handed him back to me as he continued, “He is a stray though.”

Something inside of me swelled as I held the puppy against my chest, looking down into his wide brown eyes, and through the bond I could feel Rhysand’s amusement.

“I had no idea you were an animal lover as well,” he said as I finally looked back at him.

A faint blush touched my cheeks and I stroked my fingers through his fur. “I… when I was little, I always wanted a dog. The grounds keeper had one, and I used to sneak out to play with him, but mother refused to allow me to have one of my own. She said they were dirty and un-ladylike.” I gave a faint shrug and looked back down at the puppy, “And then when I was older, the thought of one more mouth to feed - even if I could train it to help me to hunt…”

Trailing off, I shook my head once, to clear my mind of the memories of cold and desperate hunger. Looking back towards Rhys, I found him smiling, a curious look on his face.

Furrowing my brows slightly, I asked, “What?”

He let out a low chuckle, “You even have to ask?”

Seeing my puzzled look, he reached up to cup my face lightly, chuckling again as the puppy pushed up in my arms to lick at his hand - and my face.

“Ah, Feyre darling, the answer to the question you are so very hesitant to ask me, is yes. You can have a dog, this dog if you want.”

My eyes widened with shock, and a touch of embarrassment - because the idea had been there, in the back of my thoughts, swimming to the surface the longer I held the puppy in my arms.

“Are… are you sure? I mean… we already have so much work to do, and…” I trailed off as Rhys took a step closer, his hand tilting my head up as he leaned down to kiss me, light and sweet.

Drawing back slowly, he slid his hand down from my face and stroked the puppy’s soft ears. “Feyre, there will always be work to do, but that doesn’t mean we give up the things we want, the things that make us happy. Just look at this place,” he gestured to the studio, “it has nothing to do with your official duties as High Lady, but it makes you happy. And,” he said with a smile so filled with pride and love it took my breath away, “it is helping so many people in the process. Perhaps this puppy can do the same, help other people - but even if that is not the case, even if all he does is make _you_ happy, then that is all the reason I ever need.”

My cheeks flushed red with embarrassment and pleasure, andstill holding the puppy between us, I flung my free arm up around his neck and pulled him down for another, deeper kiss. Down the bond I sent him waves of my happiness and excitement, letting him feel just how much this meant to me.

When we finally broke the kiss, gasping for breath, he grinned at me widely, delighting in my joy. “So,” he asked, “what are you going to call this rascal?”

Looking down at the puppy, our puppy, I smiled brightly, “Sabre.”

Rhys arched a brow at me with amusement, “Why Sabre?”

I blushed again and shrugged, “I decided when I was little, if I ever had a dog of my own, I would call it Sabre.”

Rhys chuckled, and looked back down at our new puppy, “Well then Sabre - welcome to the family.”

Sabre, apparently pleased with his name, and his invitation to the family, let out a little bark before he finally settled in my arms, resting his head in the crook of my elbow.

The Court of Dreams - that is what they called it, and it truly was. The dreams of bastards and half-breeds, of monsters and Queens, and of a little girl who grew up to be a hunter with the soul of an artist, who saved a realm and became a fae with the heart of a mortal. A little girl all grown up, still full of dreams - and perhaps the Mother or the Cauldron, or simply the hand of fate, chose to grant this one now.

Sabre, the dog of dreams.

**Author's Note:**

> I love comments and kudos, and otters.
> 
> Lots and lots of otters.
> 
> Feel free to share any of those! (Mostly the otters. <3)
> 
> -Otter


End file.
